OBSESSION by Jonathan Kellerman
Novelist Jonathan Kellerman has created another Alex Delaware story. This latest one is titled OBSESSION. In this psychological thriller, psychiatrist Delaware investigates a deathbed confession and gets involved in the seedy underworld of Los Angeles. The book is big on convoluted plot occurrences but low on reading enjoyment.
At the start of the story Dr. Delaware is contacted by a former patient, Tanya Bigelow. Tanya is a college student whose mother has recently died of cancer. Tanya tells Delaware that before her mother died she told Tanya that she had been involved in a murder. Tanya wants Delaware and his friend LPAD Detective Milo Sturgis to look into this information.
As these two delve into any unsolved murders that took place in areas where Tanya and her mother Patty lived, possible events involving Patty arise. By the time the matter is concluded Alex and Milo have uncovered a series of unsavory happenings.
While the plot is playing out Kellerman also incorporates some views of Delaware's homelife. He and his girlfriend Robin have gotten back together and they have a new dog named Blanche. The dog is a French Bulldog and has some human attributes. Obviously this information is given to add to the flavor of the book, but it doesn't.
Jonathan Kellerman is a good writer. He has proven this over a long career. Now however he seems to be bogging down in the stories about Delaware. Perhaps he should take a new tack and branch out into new settings and new characters. It seems he might have gone to this well one or two times too many.
That is not to say OBSESSION isn't interesting. It is. It is just that in comparison to Kellerman's earlier stories you realize how bland this setting has become. Either Delaware needs some new people in his life or Kellerman needs to move on.
There is too much competition out there for readers' interest and attention. An only so so story just won't cut it anymore. A word to the wise, Jonathan, give us something new and fresh.
OBSESSION is published by Ballentine Books. It contains 347 pages and sells for $26.95.